PEOPLE OF NEAR EAST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 January 1940, Page 2

PEOPLE OF NEAR EAST

UNITED IN SUPPORT FOR ALLIES SOLIDARITY OF OUTLOOK (United Press Association) DUNEDIN, 11th January. “Whatever developments may occur in the rapidly-changing international situation it appears certain that unqualified support for the Allies will be forthcoming from the ■ peoples of the Near East,” said the Rev. Father Michael Bardouil, sec-: retary to the Catholic Melkite Metro- 1 politan of Beirut, Mount Lebanon, j “There is no love among the Syrians or Arabs for the ideologies of modern Europe,” he said. “People are far from being ready to assimilate the doctrines of Nazi Germany or Soviet Russia. They have a great respect for the democratic way of living.” The solidarity of outlook between Mohammedan and Christian and between Arab and Jew with the coming of the war was a remarkable | filing. All differences had been j buried and a united front presented to the one possible danger. There had been occasional friction between the Syrians and the French administration of later years, but that was now forgotten, just as the bickering between the Jew and the Arab in Palestine had been shelved. Father Bardouil was inclined to doubt that the Soviet would get very far. Her stand against Finland could not impress anyone as regards military strength, and a doughty opponent like Turkey (which country would be allied with Caucasia, Iran ( and Afghanistan) might well soon ' dispose of Russia as a serious menace. Certainly Russia had an air arm which the Near East lacked, but that alone was not enough to ensure success.